Alfredo Kraus
Opera tenor, known for putting quality before quantity in his performances. In the opera world, Alfredo Kraus is famous for refusing roles he knows he cannot sing or that are not in his repertoire. One of his best roles which he has portrayed numerous times is Werther.
Alfredo Kraus was born in Las Palmas in Great Canary. He began his musical career at the age of four taking up piano lessons. By the age of eight, he was an important part of the school choir, developing his tenor voice even then. Performing recitals and musical meetings, Alfredo Kraus was taught composition from Dona Maria Suarez Fiol of Leon. He continued performing concerts and recitals. At 17 years old, he was the lead tenor in the Choir of the Filarmonica de Canary Gran and the Polifonica Chorale of the Palms. It was with this early experience that Alfredo Kraus developed a style and a repertoire. He decided at an early age what his musical bounds would be. His style is intellectually stimulating and leaves everything to the imagination. His experience finally brought him to a professional debut in 1956.
Alfredo Kraus made his professional debut in Cairo, Egypt in 1956. He portrayed the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto. Many of his opera performances have led him to international fame especially his portrayal of Werther. After his debut he performed at La Scala in Milan and the Covent Garden in 1959. From Milan Alfredo Kraus broadened his repertoire to include the United States. He made his operatic debut in the United States in Chicago in 1962. Never before has someone made such an impact on American opera. The tenacity and style of his performance led to a New York Metropolitan Opera debut in 1966. During his stay in the United States, Alfredo Kraus performed such roles as Faust, Nemorino, Werther, Arturo and Don Ottavio. His preciseness in the roles he portrayed proved his belief in putting quality before quantity in his work.
Traveling the world doing concerts and recitals, Alfredo Kraus never tired of the roles he performed. In April of 1980 he was present and performed at the silver wedding celebration of the Lyric Opera. From 1991-92, Alfredo Kraus returned to Covent Garden to perform as Hoffmann and Nemorino.
After more than four decades of performing operas, concerts and recitals, Alfredo Kraus kept on singing. He didn't let his age slow him down. According to Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Alfredo Kraus was a master tenor, perfectly changing his voice to adhere to his various roles. Rodolfo Celliti, Tullio Serafin and Giuletta Simionato all agreed that Alfredo Kraus represented perfection in both his singing and acting. Although critics say his worst performance was Arie antiche with Jose Tordesillas.
© Kim Summers /TiVo
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W. A. Mozart : Cosi fan tutte
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Christa Ludwig, Alfredo Kraus, Giuseppe Taddei, Karl Böhm, Philharmonia Orchestra
Opera - Released by Warner Classics on 1 jan. 1963
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Donizetti: La fille du régiment (Live)
June Anderson, Alfredo Kraus, Orchestre du Theatre National De L'Opera De Paris, Bruno Campanella
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Esencial (Remastered)
Opera - Released by Master Tape Records on 6 sep. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alfredo Kraus: Antología de la Zarzuela
Operette - Released by Meta - Vocación Musical on 15 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Voice of Spain
Opera - Released by Universal Digital Enterprises on 26 nov. 1958
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alfredo Kraus - Canciones del Recuerdo
Latijns-Amerika - Released by ISJRDigital on 21 sep. 2015
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La Traviata
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Opera - Released by Warner Classics on 1 jan. 1982
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Art of Belcanto
Vocale muziek (wereldlijk en religieus) - Released by CapriccioNR on 14 feb. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gounod: Roméo et Juliette
Alfredo Kraus, Catherine Malfitano, Orchestre Du Capitole De Toulouse, Michel Plasson
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 1 jan. 1984
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi - La traviata
Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus, Philharmonia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti
Opera - Released by Warner Classics on 1 jan. 1982
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Massenet: Werther
Alfredo Kraus, Tatiana Troyanos, Michel Plasson, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 1 aug. 1997
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Georges Bizet : La Jolie fille de Perth
June Anderson, Alfredo Kraus, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Georges Prêtre
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 22 mei 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Villancicos, las Canciones de Navidad Mas Bellas
Alfredo Kraus, Renata Scotto, Orquesta de Cámara de Bratislava, Coro Conservatorio de Badajoz
Kerstmuziek - Released by Hhpvrdigital on 21 sep. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Opera Heroes - Alfredo Kraus
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 28 feb. 2003
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The Incomparable Alfredo Kraus
Alfredo Kraus, Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, Carlo Rizzi
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 17 mrt. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: La traviata
Zubin Mehta, Kiri Te Kanawa, Alfredo Kraus, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Coro Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Orchestre du Mai Musical Florentin
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 30 aug. 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Inédito (Vol. I)
Opera - Released by Alfredo Kraus on 9 mei 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Titel: The young Alfredo Kraus
Klassiek - Released by Preiser Records on 29 aug. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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KRAUS - Una Voz Universal
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 28 aug. 2009
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